COVER STORY
Shops Prepare for the EV Evolution As electric vehicles (EVs) become increasingly prevalent on the roads, collision repair shops have begun seeing more damaged EVs in need of repair, but are EVs really that common? How will the increase in EVs impact shops? And how can auto body repair facilities prepare for and adjust to the morphological changes in the industry’s landscape without being submerged? Industry experts shared advice about how shops can prepare for the onslaught of constantly advancing vehicle technology in last month’s New Jersey Automotive (find their tips at bit.ly/NJAEV0622), but who better to provide practical recommendations for proactively bracing for impact from the “Technical Tsunami” than the shops that have already ensured the future viability of their businesses by investing in the tools, equipment and training to repair EVs? Three cuttingedge New Jersey shop owners offer insights on surfing the incoming wave of technology. How many EVs are actually out there? By the end of 2021, more than 64,000 hybrids and EVs had been registered in New Jersey, compared to 41,000 in 2020 and less than 30,000 in 2019 – proof that the EV evolution is well underway in the Garden State. “EVs and hybrids are basically the norm in this location because we’re among the few shops certified by Tesla and Rivian,” said Mike Daniel (Mountain View Auto Collision Center; Wayne). “The technology is there, and people seem to be trending toward EVs, especially as gas prices keep increasing.” “The change over the past five years has been surprisingly rapid; EVs are the number one car we repair in this facility,” Jerry McNee (Ultimate Collision; Edison) corroborated. “The government is pushing for it, and OEMs are looking in that direction. Every OEM is releasing EVs… There are probably 25 companies which most of us have never even heard of that are building EVs.” Agreeing that there’s “no doubt we’re seeing more EVs now than we were two years ago,” Eddie Day (Collision Restoration; Fairfield) noted that EVs are “cleaner but way more complex. The front engine bay is completely open, granting us more access to the structure compared to an internal combustion engine, but we also have to deal with software and firmware updates.” Preparing for the EV evolution requires shops to adjust their shops and business practices in a multitude of ways. Tools & Equipment Shops need to invest in different tools and equipment to work on EVs than they would need for repairing traditional vehicles. “The OEMs send their updated list of tools and equipment required each year, and those requirements are
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‘do or die,’” according to Day. “If you don’t have that welder by the deadline, you’re shut off. There’s zero tolerance when it comes to equipment standards.” “When you need this frame machine or welder NOW, you’re easily looking at $150,000 or more in expenses without even mentioning very many tools,” McNee added. “We purchased multiple battery cables and all sorts of different electrical equipment as well as specific ADAS equipment,” Daniel shared. “Our multimeter allows us to shut down the high voltage (HV) and check the amperage level to make sure it’s safe to touch…and we have a shepherd’s hook to pull technicians off the car in case they do get electrocuted.” Training & Safety Investing in the proper training to ensure EVs are repaired properly and safely – for both the consumer and the technician – is imperative. As I-CAR’s Dirk Fuchs pointed out during the most recent Collision Industry Conference, “A mistake is not allowed when we talk about electric vehicles. Before I touch a car, even with PPE, I need to check the potential and measure. If I’m not verifying anything and I take the battery out of the chassis and it has an internal insulation error, I’m taking out my bonding strip, and all of a sudden, Dirk is the bonding strip between the battery and the ground. And that’s a problem. The unknown is what kills you. I think I know what I’m doing, but I have a deep respect for those systems. If I make a mistake, I’m dead, and I like being on this planet.” “Technicians repairing EVs must have the knowledge to know which wire can kill you and what needs to be shut down,” Daniel stressed. “We have to be electricians on top of everything else to repair these cars.” “The investment in training is constant and expensive,” Day stated. In addition to the outright expense to send technicians to training classes, shops contend with lost production hours while a valuable employee is out of the shop to learn how to repair EVs. “Training is more important than anything else when it comes to EVs,” McNee emphasized. “Even a simple panel dent may require disconnection of the HV system, which can only be done at the dealership, but most shops look at it as ‘just a dent.’ Insurers see it as ‘just a dent.’ But the process for repairing that dent is completely different when you’re working on an EV. Safety is the biggest thing, and shops have to be extremely cautious.” Facility Logistics Shops should also consider certain facility logistics as they prepare for EVs.
